Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Batoning with a knife

Hello all:

I have never used a knife for batoning, but have used an axe.
So, I have looked at the Busse FFBM youtube videos and at knifetest.com. The big heavy knife appears to be on the heavy side for long term use, and indeed some people have commented on sore wrists and have switched to a lighter, though similar length knife.

For those with experience, what large type knives do you use and what are some of your experiences.

Matt

I've been playing with a Bark River Kephart. It's not huge, but it's bigger than I prefer for dressing game. Good size for woodcraft and general heavy use but not so big it's awkward. The handle is rounded with no finger grooves, etc. It makes it a little easier on my hands when I'm doing heavy cutting.

Looking forward to trying it on ribcages and joints this fall.

http://www.crystalfallstradingcompa...hp?cPath=220_35_251&products_id=1570

JCM

Eldorado, Stay with a axe, hatchet, or a Hawk for wood splitting chores. Good knives should be used for knife work.

A large, well made knife, made from good steel and heat treated properly, can be used for a variety of tasks that you would not use your prized skinning knife for.

Now I like a good axe, and I carry a small Wetterlings when camping, but when hunting in the swamps I hang out in, a large, tough knife is a comfort.

Recently, I used this one to slice a fat Cottonmouth in half.

I recently picked up a Bark River Bravo 1 (also from Crystal Falls Trading Co.!) The Bravo 1 has a pretty neat story (which is listed almost everywhere the knife is sold so I won't include it here). I wanted a knife I could carry to do multiple tasks-including batoning. Like others have noted, the handaxe/hatchet beats a knife in the splitting task. Having conceded that, I used my Bravo 1 to split rock hard, seasoned Red Oak (3 and 4" pieces about a foot long). It will do the job. Then you can use the same knife to cut a fragile tomato into thin slices without touching up the blade. Mike does pretty impressive work heat-treating his A2 carbon tool steel.

A stout knife with a Fire Steel and some tinder is a comforting presence even when wandering the big woods chasing birds.

PC